Local Record Label Releases Album by Legendary Hip Hop Artist

Sub-Bombin Records, the Glens Falls-based record label, has released the first album in eight years of Mr. Complex, the legendary emcee who helped drive the underground hip hop scene in New York in the 1990s.

The album, “Swiss Chocolate Cake,” which was recorded in Basel, Switzerland in 2004, came to Sub-Bombin’s attention through the company’s relationships with contemporary hip-hop artists, many of whom view Mr. Complex as a major influence.

“We are very big fans of the work of Mr. Complex, and we are excited to be able to release this almost-mythical album,” said Collin Badger, president of Sub-Bombin. “Mr. Complex was attracted to our approach to marketing albums, and felt the label could help him make the transition to the era of digital music, while still holding true to traditional formats like vinyl.”

The album has been released on vinyl and as a digital USB drive and is available locally at Divinyl Revolution in Saratoga Springs as well as through Fat Beats in Brooklyn and soon on Sub-Bombin’s new website.

Mr. Complex. Photo by Chris Vernale

According to Badger, Mr. Complex rose to prominence through his work with performers such as DJ Spinna, Shabaam Sahdeeq and Pharoahe Monch, with whom he famously performed “Simon Says” on the television show, “The Source Sound Lab”. He has also worked with artists like De La Soul, Mos Def, Masta Ace, and Common, among others. His previous albums include The Complex Catalog, Hold This Down, and Twisted Mister. He has also released two albums with his group, Poly Rhythm Addicts, which consists of DJ Spinna, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and Apani B (who was later replaced by Tiye Phoenix). Mr. Complex’s 2001 single “Underground Up,” was featured in the film Brown Sugar with Taye Diggs.

Sub-Bombin is now recognized by the national music media as an independent label that has found a niche releasing albums on vinyl. Its 2011 vinyl release, Rawhead’s Psychpomp, is a local best-seller.

“We not only love the sound we can achieve on vinyl; as a graphic artist, I love the medium of the record jacket and the freedom it gives you to produce art work that relects the spirit of the music,” said Badger.

Founded in in 2005, Sub-Bombin first attracted national attention when one of its acts, the electronic duo Charle Everywhere, was signed by a major independent label in 2009 and changed its name to Phantogram.